Once Upon a Bibliophile

Warning! This post contains spoilers for the previous book, Falling Kingdoms.

BOOK- Rebel Spring

AUTHOR- Morgan Rhodes

SERIES- Falling Kingdoms #2

RATING- 3/5

Magnus, Cleo, Jonas and Lucia are back for the exciting second novel in the Falling Kingdoms series by Morgan Rhodes. The return to Mytica sees rebels, immortals and royals locked in a deadly game of power.

PLOT

After Auranos fell to the King of Blood, the three kingdoms of Mytica seem untied, but beneath the surface unrest simmers. The Auranians seem content to live under the cruel new king, but Jonas of Paelsia knows he must continue to fight for his people. The new leader of a rebel movement, can he free his people from Limeros’ control? Cleo is being held prisoner by King Gaius, a playing piece in his deadly scheme. With all the people she ever loved lost and hope for the future in pieces, she must watch her people fall for the king’s lies. But our princess is far from helpless and she has a plan of her own. Lucia is haunted by the deadly magic she cast during the battle, and speaks to an immortal Watcher in her dreams. Alexius is everything she ever wanted, but their relationship may never be real, and time is running out to control her magic. Magnus begins to see his father’s faults and forge his own path, but is he strong enough to overcome the king’s power? Only time will tell. Kingdoms have fallen, but the war is far from over. It’s time to choose your side.

The second book in the Falling Kingdoms series really started to move the overall plot forward, putting focus on both the war and the legend of the Kindred, crystals with the power to give the bearer god-like magic. Several new characters are introduced and our original heroes continue on their character arcs, growing and developing more. The plot moves equally as slowly as in the first book, but is no less captivating. Expect an outlaw rebellion, unlikely allies and a secret that could save- or destroy – them all.

I really enjoyed the first book in the Falling Kingdoms series and waited ( very impatiently) for the next book to arrive from my library. I devoured it in mere hours, desperate to know what happened, and though I sometimes chafed under the slow pace, the excitement and adventure never lessened. It was an enjoyable second installment, captivating and complex and with a new focus and characters that renewed my eagerness to read the rest of the series.

The author continues to succeed in entangling (is that the right world?) her characters and their respective subplots in creative ways. They’re all working towards different goals, all have different motivations and often do things miles away from other characters. Chance encounters and mutual acquaintances work to make the book feel cohesive , instead of just each character’s individual story. Also, social status plays a part. I mean, Jonas can’t really just walk up to Cleo like “Hey princess, what’s up” can he? Forgetting about the fact that Jonas is a wanted criminal, situations like that wouldn’t really arise in a world that’s governed by social rules, like Mytica. Rhodes manages to combine the two parallel worlds of peasants and princes so that the characters can have meaningful interactions despite differences in social standing. Though, again, status doesn’t seem to stop Jonas from sneaking into Cleo’s chambers in the dead of night to have a slightly threatening conversation.

CHARACTERS

Rebel Spring saw the addition of Lysandra, Amara and Ashur to the origional characters, though of these only Lysandra has a POV. At first, I found the addition of new characters like an over complication of an already complex book. However, once I got over the slightly daunting character list, I found that these new characters helped to add interest to the story and a new level of meaning to the events. Once more people are affected by the conflict, it becomes more meaningful. You root more for the ‘heroes’ ( I put heroes in inverted commas because it’s sometimes debatable who’s doing the right thing in these books) to succeed.

LYSANDRA

Lysandra is a Paelsian who flees her village after King Gaius’s men enslave its inhabitants. Desperate to avenge the deaths of her friends, Lysandra joins Jonas’ band of rebels. She’s opinionated, bold, brave, fierce and a welcome addition to the series. I really liked Lysandra’s attitude: she never lets anyone stand in her way or underestimate her.

AMARA AND ASHUR

Amara and Ashur are minor characters to begin with, siblings from across the Silver Sea in Kraeshia. Seemingly innocent, this royal pair are more than they seem and have plans that could alter the fate of Mytica and beyond. They’re deceptive and cunning, and you never truly know what they’re planning. I thought that the addition of these characters really added interest to the book. They have uncertain morals and motivation and no clear goal, and keep us guessing as to where their allegiances lie. It was a welcome break from the original good/bad characters.

I really liked that more characters had been added to the narrative, especially Lysandra, who added another POV and viewpoint. I think that Jonas’ rebel army never would have succeeded without her, and I like it when new characters are added. It gives the book more depth and makes it feel more like a community, especially in fantasy novels. When there’s a partnership or team I immediately like the book more, as it changes the dynamic of the relationship between characters. As soon as Jonas had another POV character to work with, to be on his ‘team’ in a way, I began rooting for him more, for some reason. Lysandra also helped to create more romantic tension between the characters ( I’m not saying that the only reason she’s a character is to create romantic tension, but she does unwillingly provide it, in between being super badass and showing the other arrogant heroes who’s boss) Amara and Ashur (they kind of come as a package deal in this book) also provided romantic tension and conflict around the plot which helped expand the story.

CONCLUSION

Rebel Spring was a brilliant second installment in the Falling Kingdoms series, combining rebellion, politics and an intriguing fantasy subplot. The writing is a little dry and long winded at times, and somewhat lacking in humor. However, though a little intense, it was enjoyable and captivating, adding new depth to the plot and new layers to character relationships.